ABOUT

Vision

Art Front Gallery is a company actively engaged in all aspects of art.


Our objectives are to provide support for art that is both contemporary in spirit and points to the future and to promote art created from a broad global perspective and in-depth social context. This approach is grounded in our belief that art enables us to better understand human thoughts and intentions.


When selecting artists and works of art, we look for durable impact over time as well as relevance to the world today.


Responding proactively to the changes in environment and lifestyles that surround us, we search for appropriate use of art in urban development and in living spaces.


We treasure our close relationships with communities throughout the world. As we see it, effective protection of the global environment begins with respect for the differences that make each locality and region its own irreplaceable cosmos.


Our business exists
to find and present high-quality works of art
to give our all to every production
to harmonize art with the environment in which it is displayed
to be open and fair in every transactions.

Corporate Profile

Art Front Gallery Co., Ltd.

Hillside Terrace A, 29-18 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0033, Japan

Tel: 81-(0)3-3476-4868 Fax: 81-(0)3-3476-4874

Chairperson

Fram Kitagawa

President

Kei Okuno

Founded

November 17, 1982

Staff

50

Affiliated companies

Gendaikikakushitsu Publishers

NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization

NPO Setouchi Koebi Network

History

1971

Julia Pempel Atelier was started by students and graduates of Tokyo University of the Arts. Engaged in planning and producing exhibitions, concerts, the theater and events.

1977

Curated and administrated the exhibition Pioneers of Contemporary Art in Japan at Tokyo Central Museum.

1978

Organized the Antoni Gaudi exhibition touring 11 cities in Japan (-1979)

1979

Opened a graphic gallery Art Front.

1980

Organized the Print Show for Children, which travelled to 77 junior high schools throughout Japan (-1982).

Fram Kitagawa acquired the managing right of Gendaikikakushitsu

Publishers.

1982

Art Front Gallery Co., Ltd. was established.

1984

Opened Hillside Gallery at Hillside Terrace.

Organized the Tadashi Kawamata exhibition Under Construction, which was stopped after two weeks.

Established a music production company Art Front Produce (transferred to a separate company in 1999).

1988

Organized Apartheid Non! International Art Festival (the Art against Apartheid exhibition originally launched by UNESCO) in 194 sites throughout Japan and attracted 380,000 visitors (-1990). Coordinated travelling the exhibition to South Korea in 1991.

1991

Involved in Christo & Jeanne-Claude’s project Umbrellas: Japan- USA 1984-1991

1992

Complete relocation to Hillside Terrace, Daikanyama.

1994

Faret Tachikawa Art Project for the redevelopment at the former US base site completed.

1997

Coordinated a series of exhibitions to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Hillside Terrace, including Etat des Lieux, by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgarian Contemporary Art Exhibition, and Antoni Gaudi. Hillside Terrace was awarded the Mecenaz Grand Prize.

Coordinated the Faret Tachikawa: City and Art Today exhibition, travelling to ten cities in Taiwan, Sofia (Bulgaria), and Prague (Czech Republic) (-1999).

1998

Commissioned to curate and administrate Musée Hamaguchi Yozo:Yamasa Collection (to date)

1999

Organized the biannual outdoor exhibition Daikanyama Installation (-2013)

Coordinated the event Chopin, Poland, Japan to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan-Poland Diplomatic Relationship

2000

Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale launched (held every three years to date)

Art coordination for Daikanyama Address, redevelopment at the

Daikanyama Dojunkai Apartment.

2001

In response to the request from EU member states’ embassies, coordinated the biannual exhibition New Trends of Architecture in Europe and Japan (which developed to New Trends of Architecture in Europe and Asia-Pacific in 2004) in 17 cities including Tokyo and European Cultural Capitals (-2011).

2003

Coordinated the Australian Aboriginal contemporary art

exhibition Spirits of Country touring Echigo-Tsumari, Tokyo and

Kushiro.

2004

Coordinated the Year of Germany in Japan: German Design Project.

2005

Engaged in the first Anyang Public Art Project in Korea.

2007

Art coordination for The Peninsula Tokyo. Since then, engaged in many art projects for luxury hotels.

2008

Art coordination for Park Hyatt Shanghai. Since then, engaged in many hotels in China.

Entrusted to plan and coordinate cultural programs for Club Hillside at Hillside Terrace (to date).

2009

Coordinated art projects for Aqua Metropolis Osaka 2009

Entrusted with consulting services for Shibuya Hikarie Creative Space /8 (to date)

2010

Setouchi Triennale launched (held every three years to

2012

Art coordination for Daikanyama T-SITE . Curated the exhibition at ANJIN (to date)

2013

Designated to curate and administrate Ichihara Lakeside Museum (to date).

Established ART FRONT GALLERY Shanghai Co., Ltd..(whose business was transferred to a local company in 2018)

2014

Coordinated art production for the first Ichihra Art x Mix(Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture)

2016

Planned and coordinated the art projects at eight temples for Culture City of East Asia 2016: Nara,including Cai Guo Qiang’s “To Make a Ship.”

Planned and coordinated the 1st Setouchi Asia Forum(to date)

2017

Northern Alps Art Festival (Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture)

launched

Oku-Noto Triennale (Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture) launched

2018

Isobe Yukihisa Memorial Echigo-Tsumari Kiyotsu Soko Museum of Art (SoKo) established

2019

Art coordination for Shanghai Urban Space Art Season 2019

Coordinated the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Hillside Terrace

the Antoni Gaudi exhibition(1978)

Print Show for Children(1980)

Apartheid Non! International Art Festival(1988-1990)

Faret Tachikawa(1994)

Awards

Awards (for the projects Art Front Gallery was engaged in)

Faret Tachikawa Public Art Project

Housing and Urban Development Corporation President Award(1995) /1994 Planning and Designing Award of the City Planning Institute of Japan(1995)/Special Award of Japan Association of Artists Craftsmen and Architects(1995) /Urban Landscape Award for Landscape Design(1996)

Yume Messe Miyagi

Urban Landscape Award for Landscape Design(1997)

Daikanyama Hillside Terrace

Mecenat Awards 98(1998)

Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale

Hometown Event Grand Prize(Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award|2001)/Tokyo Creation Award for Creating Art Scene(2002)/Minister of Internal Affair and Communication Award in Community Planning(2004)/The 7thAll Right Nippon Award Grand Prize(Prime Minister Award|2009)/Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Award in Community Planning(2010)/Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award(2011)/Good Design Award Gold Prize(Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award|2018)/The 11th Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency Award(2019)

Development of Aino Station in Fukuroi City

SDA Award of Excellence(2001)

JR Tower Art Project

Brunel Award(2005)

Setouchi Triennale

“The 15th Hometown Event Award” Special Jury Award(2010)/The 4th Promoting Ocean Nation Award(2011)/The 1st Japan Tourism Award Grand Prize(2015)

Art Setouchi

Good Design Award(2018)/ Asian Townscapes Award(2018)

Ichihara Lakeside Museum

One Show Identity Design Gold Pencil(2014)/ ADC Award(2014)/ The 18th CS Design Award Grand Prize(2014)/ The 48th SDA Award Sign Design Award of Excellence(2014)/ The Architectural Institute of Japan Award for New Face(2015)

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